Cauliflower Kofta Bites

PARTNER POST: Get ready to feed a holiday crowd with appetizer recipes paired perfectly with food-friendly Cavit wines.These soft cauliflower kofta bites are inspired by falafel and served with a creamy tomato curry sauce. They’re perfect for entertaining, just open a red wine and you are set.

Holiday season is right upon us, which means lot of parties to host and to visit. Menu planning for these parties can get quite stressful some times. I usually have trouble finding appetizer recipes that fit into my menu. So here’s a recipe for Indian flavored cauliflower kofta with creamy tomato sauce that can be part of a Indian themed meal.

I have been planning to make Indian style meatballs as an appetizer for quite some time now. But most of the recipes I saw online looked too doughy and tough. I wanted a recipe that made soft and tender.

These kofta are inspired from Middle Eastern falafel and Indian potato based kofta. Any soft cooked vegetables like carrot, green beans, peas etc., can be used in this recipe. I added some mashed cauliflower and you can really taste it in these kofta.

These koftas can be baked in the oven or deep fried until golden. I used an aebleskiver (appe) pan to make the kofta, so that they turn out crispy without adding too much fat and calories.

I served the koftas with some creamy tomato curry sauce (this ones inspired from the gravy served with malai kofta. Serve this spicy appetizer with some robust red wine like Cavit’s Red Blend.

These soft cauliflower kofta bites are inspired by falafel and served with a creamy tomato curry sauce. They're perfect for entertaining, just open a red wine and you are set.

Author: Pavani

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Serves: 20 kofta

Ingredients

For the Cauliflower Kofta:

2 cups Cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 Small Potato, boiled and mashed

1 Small Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Ginger, finely grated

2 Garlic cloves, finely minced

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp Red Chili powder (adjust as per taste preference)

¼ tsp Ground Cumin

¼ tsp Ground Coriander

2~3 tbsp Chickpea flour (besan) or All purpose flour

To taste salt

3 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped

For the Creamy Tomato Sauce:

1 Small Onion, very finely chopped

1 cup Tomato Puree (or grind 2~3 tomatoes)

½ tsp Ginger, finely grated

1 Garlic clove, finely minced

¼ tsp Curry powder (adjust as per taste preference)

⅛ tsp turmeric

⅛ tsp Red Chili powder (adjust as per taste preference)

1~2 tbsp heavy cream

To taste salt

Instructions

Make Cauliflower Kofta:

Steam or microwave the cauliflower until tender, about 3~5 minutes. Lightly mash and set aside.

Heat 2tsp oil in a pan, add onion, ginger and garlic; cook till the onions are translucent, about 3~4 minutes.

Next add the mashed cauliflower and mashed potato. Stir in turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin, coriander and salt. Mix well and cook for 2~3 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool slightly.

Coarsely grind the chickpeas into a coarse paste. Remove into a mixing bowl and add the cauliflower mixer, chopped cilantro and adjust the seasoning. Add the chickpea flour (or flour) and mix well. Try to form a ball with the mixture, if it does not come together add a little more flour.

Take 1 tbsp of mixture and make koftas.

Koftas can be baked in a preheated 400°F oven (spray them with cooking spray) or they can be deep fried. I fried them in a aebleskiver (appe) pan for a low fat option. Take them out onto paper towel lined plate. Serve Warm with the creamy tomato sauce.